How has life changed since leaving active duty?

When I left active duty one of my biggest adjustments was leaving a position of great responsibility working at the upper echelon of my career management field and far above my paygrade/rank only to come to the realization that no employer in the civilian sector, no matter how closely the job duties were, gave a hoot in hell about my past accomplishments. I was starting over from scratch and it took me almost eighty application processes for me to see any benefit from my prior service. Perseverance led to an opportunity that helped create the career that I now enjoy. I was determined to make a comfortable living and continue my public safety service career upon leaving the military and through the grace of god I was able to realize my ambitions and goals without compromising my dreams.

total 180... but i do get to sleep Late...

Seems to me that what you did in the military has a lot to do with how your transition goes (at least, assuming you'd like to press on in the same career field). My "transition" (we didn't have that term back then) was MANY years ago - went from being a USAF ATC to an FAA ATC. The most noticeable differences were that I made a LOT more money for less responsibility and I didn't have to wear blue every day. But, as mentioned by SSG Jeremy Sharp, after ten years of service including being a crew chief and the NCOIC of Training for a large approach control, being treated like a no-nothing dirtbag by "professional" FAA Controllers was a bit hard to deal with - especially when I knew more about some aspects of the job (aircraft types, being a very noticeable one) then they did.

But my son is now going through the same thing after ten years of Army service, including two combat deployments). Unlike my career field, he's having to start all over at almost thirty years of age and with a son to raise by himself. He is fortunate that his new employer is also former Army who hired him at the highest pay he could for a zero-experience guy. Why? Because, in his words, "I know what I'm getting when I hire a Veteran." I wish the rest of corporate America would know that.